Sleep

Introduction

I want to cover a few topics that closely relate to lucid dreaming. As I mentioned before, the more you know about lucid dreaming and related topics, the better chances you will have to refine your skills to achieve lucidity, longer and more often. You will also increase the control over your lucid dreams the more you know about this phenomenal skill.

The Stages of Sleep

Sleep is divided into five stages. It is driven by natural cycles of activity in the brain. Sleep consists of two basic states, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep (stages 1-4) and rapid eye movements (REM) sleep (stage 5).

During sleep, the body changes between non-REM and REM sleep. You will usually start the sleep cycle with a period of non-REM sleep followed by periods of REM sleep. Dreams and lucid dreams occur during the REM stage of sleep.

Non-Rapid-Eye-Movement (NREM) Sleep

Each stage of NREM sleep can last approximately 5 to 15 minutes. You will generally go through the four stages of NREM sleep before REM sleep occurs.

• Your eyes are closed and you can be awakened easily. Stage one may last for five to ten minutes. Many may notice a feeling of falling during this stage of sleep, which may cause you to wake with some degree of panic.
• Stage Two – This is a period of light sleep. Your heart rate slows and your body temperature decreases. At this point, your body prepares itself to enter a state of deep sleep.
• Stages Three and Four – These are deep sleep stages. Stage four is a deeper sleep than stage three.
• Stage Five – This is the period of REM sleep and your opportunity to have lucid dreams.
  

Sleep does not progress through these stages in order. Sleep begins in stage one and progresses into stages two, three and four. After stage four, stage three and then stage two are repeated before entering REM sleep.

During the deep stages of NREM sleep, the body repairs and regenerates itself, which is obviously a very important benefit of sleeping.

Rapid-Eye-Movement (REM) Sleep

REM sleep can begin approximately 90 minutes after you first fall asleep. During this stage your eyes move rapidly in different directions. Intense dreaming occurs during REM sleep as a result of heightened brain activity. The first period of REM sleep normally is fairly short. Each recurring REM sleep period occupies a longer period of time. Your final REM sleep periods may last up to an hour or so. REM sleep periods can occupy 90-120 minutes of your night’s sleep. You will typically experience about five periods of REM sleep during a full sleep period. Your heart and breathing rate are irregular during REM sleep, similar to you waking state.

This is your golden opportunity to become lucid.

Polysomnograms are used in sleep labs to show brainwave patterns while you are sleeping. While you are in REM sleep, your brainwaves are similar to what they are when you are awake. I think you can see the relationship between REM sleep and lucid dreams!

© 2009 Gary Gardner, All Rights Reserved